Technical Field
The present invention relates to an impactive vibration generating apparatus, and more particularly, to an impactive vibration generating apparatus which can be used as an interface means for the transmission of several signals and communications between various devices such as a multimedia device, game device and a communication device, etc. and a user by freely generating an impactive vibration.
Background Art
Generally, a vibration generating apparatus is embedded into an electronic device such as a mobile phone, and it serves a function to inform a user of the reception of a call or an arrival of a long or short character message through vibration instead of a bell sound. Additionally, a vibration generating apparatus is embedded in a game operation device to provide reality in a game to a user by generating a vibration effective sound, thereby increasing enjoyment and interest in the game.
Further, as technology is developed, a person can also enjoy not only communication but also playback and sending/receiving of multimedia, internet, game, etc., with a mobile phone. Furthermore, internet or playback of moving pictures is available with a game device. Playback of music or moving pictures, internet and games are also available with a moving picture reproducer. Most of these devices have vibration generating devices on the inside so as to multiply interest and such conventional vibration generating devices are using a small vibration motor.
Meanwhile, a vibration motor is classified generally as either a flat type vibration motor or a bar type vibration motor depending on its shape, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In a conventional vibration motor, a vibration is mainly produced by the rotation of an eccentric weight body.
FIG. 1 shows schematically a conventional flat type vibration motor disclosed in Korean Patent No. 389,631, wherein an eccentric rotary unit 2 including a coil 6 and a bearing 7 rotates around a shaft 1 with rotational force generated by the current flowing through a coil 6 and the magnetic field of a permanent magnet 3, thereby to produce vibration due to eccentricity. The current flowing through the coil 6 is controlled via a commutator 5 and a brush 4, thereby to produce smoothly rotational force. In this vibration motor, when motor power on, a vibration is produced by the rotation of the eccentric rotational part 2 and then it stops when motor power off.
Further, FIG. 2 shows schematically a conventional bar type vibration motor disclosed in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2005-0086150, wherein a rotary unit including a shaft 20, a coil 19, a commutator 18 and an eccentric pendulum 13 rotates due to an operation of current flowing through a permanent magnet 17 and the coil 19 to produce vibration by the eccentric pendulum 13. At this time, the current supplied to the coil 19 rotating is controlled by the commutator 18 and the brush 16 so as to produce smooth rotational force. A vibration is produced by the rotation of the eccentric pendulum 13 due to the rotation of the rotational part when a power source is applied to the motor and then it stops when the power source is cut off.
FIG. 3 shows schematically a vibration generating device using reciprocating motion among the conventional flat type vibration motors, which is disclosed in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2005-0122101. In the device shown in FIG. 3, when a current is applied to a coil 35 with a weight pendulum 34 fixed to a spring 31, a magnetic circuit running through a permanent magnet 36, a yoke 32 and the coil 35 is formed. At this time, an attractive force and a repulsive force are produced between the permanent magnet 36 and the wound coil 35, and the part including the weight pendulum 34 is moved by the attractive force and the repulsive force while it hangs on the spring 31. Here, when the current is applied inversely to the coil 35, the weight pendulum 34 is moved up and down, thereby producing a vibration. In cases of the conventional vibration generating devices using the rotation of a member having eccentricity as described above, they use the rotation of a motor. However, since the rotation number of a motor is determined in accordance with its design, a motor used in the vibration generating devices rotates only for a predetermined time period when a current is applied to produce a vibration. Accordingly, On/Off for producing the vibration can be controlled, but the frequency and amplitude of the vibration may not be controlled freely and further it is extremely difficult to produce a single vibration.
Additionally, FIG. 4 shows schematically a conventional device having a structure capable of being impactive-vibrated, which is disclosed in Korean Patent No. 1,084,715. In this device, the direction of a current flowing through a coil 41 is controlled and an attractive force and a repulsive force between the coil and a magnet 42 facing to the coil exist, thereby the magnet 42 collides with the coil 41 and a support plate 43 to produce a vibration. Here, the magnet 42 reciprocates while it 42 serves as a weight pendulum. In the case of such a reciprocating type device, the intensity of the vibration is small as compared to the volume of the device, and also there is a limitation to using it on a resonance region.
FIG. 5 shows an example of a method for controlling the amount of vibration in a conventional portable communication terminal. In FIG. 5, an ON/OFF signal coding portion 50 of a portable communication terminal produces a signal to be applied to a vibration motor 52 and the voltage to be applied to the vibration motor 52 is on/off in accordance with the signal at a switch portion 54 to rotate/stop the vibration motor 52. Accordingly, the vibration is produced while the voltage is applied, whereas the vibration is not produced while the voltage is not applied.
FIG. 6 shows a configuration of a conventional game device disclosed in Korean Patent No. 563,391. As shown in FIG. 6, an image output device 64 is connected to a game console 60 that runs the game contents and controls the game, the game is executed through a plurality of operation buttons, and a game controller 62 for sending and receiving data is connected to the game console. Further, a vibration motor 66 for producing vibration is embedded in the game controller. In this device, the vibration motor rotates at a high speed to produce vibration when voltage is applied to the vibration motor in accordance with the signal produced from the game console 60,
According to a related art, control of a vibration in a portable terminal or a game controller is mainly carried out by changing the voltage to produce different vibrations, but there is no other technology for controlling vibration in the portable terminal or the game controller.